Scotland.

ren were raised to the Sublime Degree of Alaster Mason by Bro . J . F . Mitchell , I . P . M ., in his usual able and

impresmanner . GLASGOW-Lodge Union and Crown ( No . 103 ) . —The regular monthly meeting of this lodge was held in the Kilwinning Hall , 170 , Buchanan-street , oil Alonday evening , 24 th ult ., Bro . D . Alurray , W . AI ., in the chair , ably supported by thc following office-bearers : — Bros . A . M . Wright , I . P . M . ; R- Alunro , D . M . ; J .

AIcFarlane , S . M . ; W . Thomas , S . W . ; W . Forsyth , J . W . ; N . Cameron , Treas . ; P . Cullen , B . B . ; A . Gray , J . D . ; and J . Gray , I . G ., and a large turn out of members and visiting brethren . The lodge was opened and thc minutes read and confirmed . Air . James Taylor was then admitted and received the Entered Apprentice Degree at thc hands of Bro . A . M . Wripht , I . P . M . The Provincial Grand

Lddge deputation was then announced , they having arrived from St . Mark ' s Lodge , No . 102 , and were admitted with the usual honours . The usual formality of handing the . mallet over to the acting P . G . AI . and returning the same was gone through , when Bro . McTaggart , P . G . Sec , said the books of the lodge were examined very minutely , and he was glad to say they were in every sense faultless ,

and that the lodge was working in strict harmony with the Constitutions of thc Grand Lodge of Scotland . Bro . Baird remarked that it ought to be a matter of unbounded satisfaction to every member of the lodge to hear such a favourable report just given by the P . G . Sec , and he ( Bro . Baird ) was glad to mention that the cash book was the best kept they had inspected this year . Bro . Alurray , the

W . AI ., then moved a vote of thanks to the members of the P . G . Lodge , which was heartily responded to . Bro . D . Reid , P . G . I . G ., was affiliated an honorary member of the lodge . . The deputation then withdrew . The lodge was afterwards called to refreshment , when a short time was spent in harmony . KILBARCHAN .-Lodge St . Barchan ( No

156 ) . —A meeting of this lodge was held in their hall , Kilbarchan , on the 20 th ult ., the W . M ., Bro . Wm . Lewis , AI . D . presiding , and supported by Bros . Buchanan , D . M . ; Craig , S . W . ; Orr , J . W . ; Kirkland , Treas . ; Grant , Sec , & c Among the other brethren present were Bros . Henderson , 11 . Buchanan , P . Buchanan , P . C . AIcGregor , & c , of 156 ; Bro . White , of 117 ; Sec . Bro . D . AIcArthur was raised to the

Sublime Degree of Alaster Alason , the ceremony being gone through in a most impressive manner by the W . AI . Afterwards Bro . White , 117 , was affiliated as an honorary nicnibc of St . Barchan ' s . Bro . White , in returning thanks , complimented the W . AI . and the lodge upon the efficient manner in which thc business of the lodge was conducted . The lodge was thereafter closed in due form .

GLASGOW . —Lodge Athole ( No . 413 ) . —The regular meeting of this lodge was held in St . Mark's Hall , 213 , Buchanan-street , on Tuesday evening , 25 th ultimo , Bro . J . Louttit , W . AI ., in the chair ; Bros . D . Leeds , S . W . ; A . Holms . J . W . ; P . Agnew , Treas . ; R . Graham , Sec ; and a large number of members and visiting brethren were present . On the lodsre being opened anil the minutes

of last meeting read and confirmed , Air . R . H . Muir was initiated by Bro . W . Bell , I . P . M . 3 ., on behalf nf Lodge Thistle , 87 . Thereafter Bros . D . AI . Nelson , VV . M . St . Joan , 3 ii W . Bel ) , I . P . M . 3 } . ; J . Booth , VV . M . 87 ; J . Grant , 197 ; and VV . J . E . Dobson , W . AI . Lodge Dramatic , 3 J 1 , were obligated honorary members of the lodge by the W . AI ., Bro . Louttit . Bros . I ) . Ross and Robt . AIcBryde ,

of 413 , and It . II . Almr and Hugh Clark , of 87 , were passed to thc Fellow Craft Degree by Bro . W . Ferguson , I . P . M . 116 . Thc lodge was then assumed in the Third Degree , when four brethren were raised to the Sublime Degree of Alaster Alason at the hands of Bro . J . Booth , W . AI . Lodge Thistle , 87 . DALMUIR . —Lodge St . John ( No . 543 ) . —The

regular monthly meeting of this lodge was held in their hall at Dalmuir on Tuesday evening , 25 th ult . Thc business before the meeting was passing , and presentation to the I . P . M . The lodge was opened al 7 . 30 p . m . prompt , Bro . Ferguson , I . P . M ., in the chair ; A . AIcNaughton , jun ., D . M . ; J . Barrie , S . AI . ; J . F . Wilson , S . W . ; J . Afuirhcad , J . W . ; AI . Watson , Treas . ; J . Alexander , Sec ;

J . Alornson , jun , S . D . ; J . Stairs , J . D . ; J . Moiton , Chap . ; J . Alorrison , sen ., S . S . ; R . Hunter , J . S . ; A . Smith , I . G . ; J . Adair , Tyler . ; T . T . Johnstone , D . Jamieson , Thomson , Bell , "Baiton , Alalcolm , and others . Among the visiting brethren were Bros . Peters , 3 , Marshall , 50 ; Ser .-Alajor Chamberlain , E . C . ; Capt . Gray , 362 ; Alex . Gow , S . M . c 8 i ; D . Peacock , S . W . 58 r ; J . Henry , J . W .

581 ; W . Taylor , Treas . 581 ; R . Allan , Sec . 581 ; Paterson , I . G . 581 ; Campbell , 581 ; and others , amounting in all to about sixty brethren . The candidate for passing was unavoidably detained , thc lodge was therefore closed and called to refreshment , when Bro . S . Leckie , W . AI ., arrived and occupied the chair , and aftir doing justice to a substantial repast , the usual loyal , Alasonic ,

and patriotic toasts were given and •responded to , viz ., "The Queen and thc Craft , " "The Three Grand Lodges , " " The Army , Navy , and Volunteers . " Bro . Chamberlain replied for the Army , Bro . Gray for the Navy , and Bro . Sergeant Thomson for the Volunteers . " The Prov . Grand Lodge of Dumbarton , " replied to by Bro . Ferguson . " The Visiting Brethren , " proposed in an excellent speech

by Bro . Wilson , S . W ., replied to by Bros . Peters , Alarshall , and Gow . " Thc Health of Bro . VV . Ferguson , I . P . M ., " proposed by Bro . James Barrie , S . AI ., who said : R . W . M ., Wardens , and brethren , —A very pleasant part of this evening ' s programme has becn assigned to me , and whilst wishing that it had fallen into abler hands , it is a duty

which I have great pleasure in performing . A considerable part , and by no means a disagreeable part , of thc experience that fails to us as Freemasons is that wc arc sometimes called upon to give a practical illustration of those brotherly feelings which we profess to entertain towards each other , and one ot these we are about to give

Scotland.

now . Two years and a half ago the Freemasons of this district , with its lately increased population , considered it advisable to endeavour to get a lodge erected in the locality , and for that purpose fourteen of us met one evening in the Ferry Road Hotel , to consider thc situation , and devise means for the formation of a lodge . The brother who was called to the ch _ r at that meeting ,

and who was a zealous promoter of the cause , has since been summoned above , where all good Masons hope to arrive . The result of that meeting and others that followed was that at length a lodge was formed , and has proved not the least active and promising in the province of Dumbarton . The fact that we now number about 100 members shows that we did not miscalculate the grounds

for proceeding , ar . d speaks for the progress wc have made . The hall in which we are now met , and whicli many a more pretentious district would envy us , is another proof of our progress within this short time . Bro . Ferguson was one of our little band from the beginning , and for two years filled the chair , and discharged its duties in an efficient manner . During his period of office

he was scarcely , if , indeed , hc w ? s ever , absent trom a single meeting . He has now gone from amongst us , and we feel our loss . We may well and honourably congratulate those representatives of our youngest sister lodge who are here to-night on thc gain that has come to them through our loss , but wc must say " 'Tis better to have lovd and lost , than never to have loved at all . "

Before allowing him to part company with us it is the wish of the members to give him some small token of our appreciation of his services as Alaster , and thc honour of han-ling over thc united gift has been awarded to mc . And now allow mc , Bro . Ferguson , to adorn your breast with this Past Alaster ' s jewel , as a mark of the kindly feelings of your Dalmuir brethren , and allow mc , along

with it , to convey to you what I am sure you will esteem far moie , the assurance that their warm and gocd wishes will go a ' ong with you wherever you go . Alay ycu long be spared to wear this jewel , and may you have a Urge experience of the things of which it is emblematic . We trust that as your eye falls on this little gift , perhaps years hence , it may awake pleasant recollections of evenings

spent and spent—not altogether unprofitably—in the lodge from whose members it came . Bro . Ferguson replied at sonic length , thanking the brethren for drinking- his health ( which w , is done witii High ] ind honours ) , and to yo- j , Bro . Barrie , for Ihe kind sentiments you have expressed towards me for my services as Alaster of the lodge for two years . 1 -hall always wear this jewel in kindly remembrance

that it was presented by the brethren of thc Lodge St . John , Dalmuir , 543 . " St . John ' s Lodge , No . 543 , " was proposed in a telling speech by Bro . Gow . Bro . Lcckie , W . AI ., replied in suitable terms . Other toasts followed , and the evening ' s entertainment was much enlivened by the excellent singing of Bros . Jamieson , Millar , Alexander ,

Henry Johnstone , Allan , Smith , Morton , Paterson , Ferguson , Aluirhcad , Barrie , and otheis . Bro . Allan gave some splendid selections of music on thc harmonium , and aftei the Tyler ' s toast , "Happy to meet , sony to part , and happy to meet again , " thc brethren separated , having spent a night long to be remembered .

Consecration Of The Sir Hugh Myddelton Lodge (No. 1602.)

CONSECRATION OF THE SIR HUGH MYDDELTON LODGE ( No . 1602 . )

On Saturday last this new lodge was consecrated at the Agricultural Hall , Islington , and the appropriateness of thc title of the lodge to the locality must be generally recognised . For a lodge which has promise of such

support thc rooms are however at first sight very small -, nor docs there seem to the casual observer any method or resources by which lhey can be enlarged . Thc b . mquetroom is the better of the two , it being the well-known committee-room of the Agricultural Hall Company . The lodge-roi . n is the Secretary ' s room down below , and no doubt for au ordinary lodge would afford sufficient

accommodation . The names of sixteen gentlemen for initiation and five brethren for joining were read out on the day of consecration , so that after the fourth of the ensuing meetings of the lodge , if all these come up the room must necessarily be crowded , more especially if , as is likely to be the case , other names will be given in at each of those meetings .

I he ceremor . y of consecration was performed in the presence of about 70 brctheen by Bro . John Hervey , Grand Secretary , who had Bros . A . J . D . Fisher , as S . VV . ; Dr . Woodman , as J . W . ; thc Rev . K . J . Simpson , as Chaplain ; C . A . Cottebrune , as D . C . ; Henri De Solla , as Organist ; Glover , as I . G . ; and W . Steedman , as Tyler .

[ We were promised a correct copy of thc list of the brethren present , but it had not arrived at the time cf our going to press . ] After the usual formalities had been observed , Bro . John Hervey , from the chair , said that on these occasions it was thc usual custom of the consecrating officers

to make a few observations to the brethren , and those who were sitting round the room , and who probably had been present at lormi r lodges that he had consecrated , knew how strongly hc had always expressed himself in consecrating a new lodge about the necessity of being careful ns to those to be admitted within thc precincts of the lodge . He would not ) ress upon them again thc same theme ,

because he trusted that there it was not necessary ; hut he would again just say one word upon this point , that if they got a disagreeable member into the lodge who marred the harmony of the lodge they would probably never know the end of ic until circumstances over which wc had no control—over which nobod y had any controleither removed the member or broke up the lodge . Now , it had been a bad custom , whicli he feared was growing , for

Consecration Of The Sir Hugh Myddelton Lodge (No. 1602.)

brethren to think that when they were m rotation they ought to be appointed to office , and if they were not ap . pointed to office or probably if they proposed a candidate for initiation in the lodge who might not be congenial to the brethren , and that candidate was refused admission , the brother who proposed him immediately commenced a system of blackballing , a system which was as disgraceful

as it was unmasonic . He did not know that he could sufficiently reprehend that course ; it ruined a lodge ; and why ? because one brother thought that he had a right to control the Alaster in the choice of his officers ; thought that hc had a right to control the choice of the brethren as to whom they should select to consort with ( hem . He hoped they would sec and hear of no such thing in this

lodge , and he should be glad if brethren would , as much as they possibly could , express their disapprobation of such a course , and prevent as far as possible its being carried out . If any such course was pursued it must eventually break up the lodge , and he knew large lodges which had been destroyed by a systematic course of blackballing . It was uncharitable as well as ungentlemanlv ; uncharitable

because it marred all the comfort of the lodge , broke the lodge up into cliques , and tended to foster that dissension which ought never to enter the doors of a Freemasons' Lodge . ( Hear hear . ) The brother who was the cause of all this might be a great supporter of the charities ; but it was not merely the putting of the hands in the pockets and paying live or ten guineas that made charity .

Charity , it was said , ought to begin at home , and the charity whicli began at home would begin by the party practising that virtue of making himself agreeable to those with whom lie was acting , and if he be not promoted just as hc thought hc ought to be , the most charitable feeling was for him to say , " Well , I ought to have that office ; but 1 have no doubt the brother who

is appointed to it is more worthy of it than I am ; and , therefore , the Alaster has exercised a discriminating conduct in the course whieh he has pursued . " He ventured upon these few observations , because in his career of Alasot . ry thc practice of blackballing came unfortunately much under his view . Of course there were circumstances which justified the blackballing used . If a man of

doubtful character had Lv-ii proposed 111 a lodge , then , of course , thc blackball was ihe proper course , unless his proposer withdrew _ im . The blackball was a proper instrument to prevent him entering a lodge ; but to pursue it as a means cf revenge against the Alaster or against the lodge was a system , as he said before , as ungentlemanly as it was un-Masonic . He trusted he should never see it in

this lodge , arid as he had remarked , he hoped if there were any brethren present who were aware of such a course being pursued , or likely to be pursued , that they would do their utmost to prevent its continuance . He would not detain them longer , because he knew they would have an excellent address from his good and icvercnd friend on his left , which would be far better than thc few words he could

put together at a moment s notice to put before them . He would therefore nt once close what he had to say . He did not want to le either a nuisance to thc brethren who were rt-und the room ,. or to say anything which was unpleasant or out cf place . Thc few words hc had said he trusted were in place and that they would have their effect upon thc brethren . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . )

Thc ceremony of consecration was then proceeded with till thc time cams for thc Chaplain ' s address . Thc Rev . II . J . Simpsen , P . G . C , then arose and said : Worshipful Master , Wardens , and brethren , I congratulate you upon the . declaration just made from the chair , and I thank you , especially the two brethren who did me the honour to wait upon mc , for giving n-. e the privilege of be

ing present to-day to take some humble part 111 these happy proceedings . This lodge has already " a local habitation anil a name "—" a local habitation" in one of the most ancient parts of this great metropolis ; a very worthy " name " as being that of connected with one of those noble benefactors who have teen a great blessing to this country . But at the same time

it is a new branch ot the old tree ; it is an offshoot of one of the most venerable and glorious societies which have hitherto existed on this side of the grave , running back into a remote antiquity and founded upon the highest principles of piety and virtue . On that account especially does the consecration of a Freemasons' Lodge become a very solemn as well as a very happy event . Brethren , as

I was coming along , I remembered , in addition to the fact that I had not prepared an oration , that our worthy and excellent brother here ( Bro . Hervey ) on a late occasion was good enough to say that it would be better not to prepare cue , but simply to trust to such remarks as it might occur to mc as apposite to the occasion on whicli we assembled . 1 cannot do better than adopt his advice , and

therefore shall venture on a few remarks upon a subject which may possibly interest us all , if not improve us . As 1 passed through the railway station I saw on the head of a placard these words , " Another Failure on the Stock Exchange ; " ar . d as I came up here I saw the sign of an old house of entertainment , " The Angel , " and I could not help thinking that those two things , those two signs—o » e

a sign of the times and the other a sign of the mated- ' world—might form a very apt subject of thought for us Alasons to-day . The word " sign " is not uncommon amongst us , as wc know ; thrice it has been mentioned to-day ; but 1 think it is a very excellent thing for us at times to consieler well the relation which the word " sign bears to the thing signified ; for upon that lies a

considerable amount of human happiness or misery . N ° > it cannot be denied that those who mark the signs of the times must bear this in view , that this England 0 ours with all its progress , its material progress , with a " its wonderful ... mount of commercial activity , with all tnt marvellous discoveries of science , seems not to have advanced in one respect , which , 1 ventured to say , is superior to them all . It was once , brethren , the boast of this nation